Gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate/glutamine levels in the dentate nucleus and periaqueductal gray in new daily persistent headache: a magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

作者：Tong Chen, Xiaoyan Bai, Wei Wang, Xue Zhang, Xun Pei, Xueyan Zhang, Ziyu Yuan, Yuanbin Zhao, Qi Yang, Yonggang Wang, Binbin Sui · 发表于：The Journal of Headache and Pain · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1186/s10194-024-01845-9 · 被引用次数：10 · 研究领域：Migraine and Headache Studies、Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research、Circadian rhythm and melatonin

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies have indicated that the imbalance between gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate/glutamine (Glx) levels was the potential cause of migraine development. However, the changes in the GABA and Glx levels in patients with New daily persistent headache (NDPH) remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the changes in GABA and Glx levels in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) and dentate nucleus (DN) in patients with NDPH using the MEGA-PRESS sequence. METHODS: Twenty-one NDPH patients and 22 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were included and underwent a 3.0T MRI examination, using the MEGA-PRESS sequence to analyze GABA and Glx levels of PAG and DN. The correlations between these neurotransmitter levels and clinical characteristics were also analyzed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the GABA+/Water, GABA+/Cr, Glx/Water, and Glx/Cr levels in both PAG and DN between the two groups (all p > 0.05). Moderate-severe NDPH patients had lower levels of Glx/Water (p = 0.034) and Glx/Cr (p = 0.012) in DN than minimal-mild NDPH patients. In patients with NDPH, higher Glx/Water levels in the PAG (r=-0.471, p = 0.031, n = 21) and DN (r=-0.501, p = 0.021, n = 21) and higher Glx/Cr levels in DN (r=-0.483, p = 0.026, n = 21) were found to be correlated with lower Visual Analogue Scale scores. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between the GABA+/Cr levels in the DN and the Generalized Anxiety D...